Private firm presents neighborhood study

A private study of 18 Chattanooga neighborhoods has found that there are vacant lots or vacant buildings on more than 23 percent of the parcels in those generally urban areas.

James Gilleylen, president of the J-Quad Planning Group hired by the city to do the survey, told City Council members Tuesday afternoon that 53.5 percent of the residential structures surveyed by his firm require minor repairs. There is a chance to improve housing conditions in the neighborhoods, he said.

“The good news is we have an opportunity to reverse this trend,” he said during the Health, Human Services and Housing Committee meeting.

The survey, approved last summer by the City Council, looked at neighborhoods such as East Chattanooga, Avondale, M.L. King, Hill City, Alton Park, Howard, Oak Grove, Orchard Knob and Highland Park, according to a document from the Addison, Texas-based firm.

J-Quad looked at 11,965 residential structures and 2,187 vacant lots in late August and early September 2007, records show.

Beverly Johnson, administrator of the Department of Neighborhood Services and Community Development, said all of the neighborhoods qualify for federal funding under the Community Development Block Grant program.

In his report before the council, Mr. Gilleylen recommended several steps to improve the neighborhoods, including:

* Putting more resources into housing initiatives

* Creating alternative residential development

* Altering city zoning and regulations

The council also heard from Patsy Hazelwood, with AT&T Tennessee, about the company’s push for statewide cable television franchising.

City Attorney Randy Nelson said after the meeting that he thinks the council will consider a resolution of support for AT&T’s plans in two weeks.

Legislation on the issue is being discussed in the Tennessee General Assembly, officials said. The Hamilton County Commission passed a resolution of support last fall.

In other business, Justin Holland of the Public Works Department brought a $6,000 security camera before the council during committee time on Tuesday.

He said the bulletproof, solar-powered device will be used to record people who dump illegally in the city. An automated voice from the camera says “this is a restricted area and your photograph was just taken.” Mr. Holland said the camera will be put in this week and begin functioning next week at a “chronic dump” location.

Also Tuesday, the City Council denied on final reading an ordinance for the Fort Wood zoning study that had been deferred for 91 days. The council approved the zoning study on first reading in December.

Karen Rennick, with the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Regional Planning Agency, said before the vote that the agency is recommending that current zoning remain in place. She said existing regulations will be able to address neighbor concerns about how the residential area develops.

She said the agency is suggesting that the council approve a policy that no more than four university-affiliated Greek buildings be located in Fort Wood, which borders the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.

NEIGHBORHOOD SURVEY

A survey from the J-Quad Planning Group for the city discovered the following information for a study area comprised of 18 generally urban neighborhoods:

* 15.5 percent of parcels were vacant lots

* 7.9 percent of parcels were vacant buildings

* 68.6 percent of all residential structures studied either require minor or major repairs or are considered “dilapidated”

Source: J-Quad Planning Group